PSSA Literary Vocabulary Terms and Definitions
1.Inference: what the author wants you to conclude from the clues in the story and from your own knowledge and experience. Not written in “black and white”.
Example- Marie is coughing and sneezing. Her nose is red and she has a handful of tissues. INFERENCE: Marie has a cold.
2 .Context Clues: words surrounding an unfamiliar word that helps the reader figure out the meaning of the unknown word.
Example- Sunlight can’t shine through opaque objects like wooden doors.
Opaque means thick.
3.Main Idea: what the story is mainly about on a whole, not specifically. Usually the main idea is stated
at the beginning of the selection or passage.
4.Details: the specific words that are used by the author to describe and support the main idea. Providing details is called citing textual evidence.
Citing Textual Evidence
5. Descriptive Details:
When an author describes a landscape as having purple wildflowers and yellow daisies, or if she tells you a character has piercing blue eyes and a hooked nose like an eagle, the author is using
descriptive details. Sometimes the details do not necessarily help the author make a point, but they add to the atmosphere or feeling you get about the overall story. Without descriptive
details, the stories we read would be pretty boring! The details help us picture the story in our heads.
6. Factual Details:
Nonfiction books and articles mostly use factual details to support ideas. A history book, for example, might give you names and dates having to do with a famous event in history. Or an article
about dolphins might tell you where you are most likely to find them, and how long they usually live. Factual details help support the main idea an author is expressing. They help convince us
that the author knows what he or she is talking about and is not just expressing an opinion. We are more likely to believe an author if there are factual details to back up what he or she is
saying.
Theme: is the most important message in a story that says something about life or human nature. Sometimes the theme is a moral or short lesson about life. Because the theme is a message, it
must be expressed in a complete sentence. Sometimes the author does not tell you the theme and you have to figure it out from the text.
8. Generalization: a statement that stresses the general idea rather than specific details.
Example- All sixth graders study hard to do well on their tests.
9. Summarization: to re-tell all of the most important parts of the original text, but write them in a much shorter space.
10. Synonym: words similar in meaning.
Example- chilly---cold
11. Antonym: words opposite in meaning.
Example- young---old
12. Fact: something that can be proven
Example- There are 50 stars on the American flag.
13. Opinion: a personal belief or feeling.
14. Stereotype: taking a quality of one individual and applying it to every individual in the group.
Example- All tall people are good at basketball.
15. Bias: a judgment based on a personal point of view.
Example- You might like German shepherds more than other kinds of dogs because your grandmother has a German shepherd that you love. So, you would have a bias in favor of German
shepherds. Another person could have a bias against German shepherds. Maybe that person was bitten by a German shepherd.
16. Hyperbole: is an exaggeration used for effect that states that something is better, worse, larger, more common, or more important than is actually true.
Example- The man is taller than a building! OR This class is lasting forever!
17. Homograph: words that look alike but have different meanings. Sometimes they sound alike and sometimes they sound different.
Example- I dove into the pool.
The dove flew away.
.
18. Homophone: words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things. Example- I read the book last night.
I love the color red.
19. Affix: a word part that attaches to either the beginning or end of a word.
20. Prefix: a group of letters added to the beginning of a word and changes the word’s meaning. Example: Preschool
21. Suffix: a group of letters added to the end of a word and changes the word’s meaning. Example: Helpful
22. Root Word or Base Word: the part of a word that an affix is added to.
23. Analogy: is a comparison between two pairs of words. It shows a relationship between the words that are being compared. Analogies can use different types of relationships to compare words.
A common way to write analogies uses colons. For example,
"donkey is to bray as snake is to hiss" can be written as:
donkey: bray :: snake : hiss
Item/Purpose
iPod is to play music as shovel is to dig holes.
Arms is to hold as legs is to walk.
Antonym
Liquid is to solid as lumpy is to smooth.
Appetizing is to tasteless as courageous is to cowardly.
Synonym
Reveal is to expose as conceal is to cover.
Help is to assist as deceive is to mislead.
Characteristic
Hard is to diamond as silky is to petal.
Sandy is to beach as furry is to cat.
Association
Airplane is to sky as ship is to sea.
Gasoline is to automobile as sunlight is to plant.
Object/Location
Tree is to forest as dog is to kennel.
Student is to school as picnic table is to park.
Cause/Effect
Necessity is to invention as virus is to illness.
War is to treaty as overeating is to weight gain.
24. Figurative Language: words that create vivid pictures by comparing things in unexpected ways.
TYPES OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
25. Simile: a comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as”.
Example- My dog’s fur is as black as coal.
26. Metaphor: a comparison of two things WITHOUT using “like” or “as”.
Example- Lemon tea is the best medicine for a cold.
27. Personification: giving nonhuman things human characteristics.
Example- The leaves danced in the wind.
The wind whistled through the trees.
28. Alliteration: a group of words in which most begin with the same sound. Example: Baby brother burst the balloons. OR Crying kids create chaos.
29. Idiom- is an example of a type of figurative language that authors use to
make their writing more exciting. The intended meaning of an idiom is not
the same as the literal meaning of the words. You have to memorize the
meanings of idioms or figure out their meanings by using context clues.
Example: "Under the weather" is a common idiom or idiomatic
expression. You might miss a day of school because you feel "under the
weather." The meaning of the expression has nothing to do with the weather.
It means you feel ill
30. Literary Elements: important techniques used in literature such as
characterization, setting, plot and theme.
31. Setting: where and when the story takes place.
Example: on a hot, sunny day on a sandy beach
32. Conclusion: an overall opinion the reader forms after reading the passage
33. Characterization: the method the author uses to reveal characters and their different personalities. You can understand stories better when you understand characters. This is called character
analysis. When you analyze characters, think about the following items.
34. Trait: a special quality or something special about someone's personality.
35. Motivation: what causes someone to act in a certain way. It can be an emotion, desire, need, etc. A motivation is the reason we do something.
36. Relationships: the connection of people in friendship, family, work, school, etc.
Examples: mother, sister, friend, teacher, neighbor, father, boss, etc.
37. Plot: The essential events of a story are called the plot. Plot is also the order of the events. The plot has a series of causes and effects, a problem and solution, and a sequence of events
38. Exposition: usually starts the story and describes the situation before any action starts. The purpose of expositions is to give the reader important background information. This is where the
characters, the setting, and the main conflict are usually described.
39. Rising action: the rising action is a series of events that lead to the climax. These events help build up the excitement in the story making the reader want to know what will happen next. The
rising action usually shows the main character in a struggle of some sort. It also describes what the character does to try to solve his or her problem.
40. Climax: the climax happens at the peak of the story and is most exciting moment in the story. The character usually deals with the main conflict for the last time and is the turning point in the
story. Things either get better or worse for the character.
41. Falling action: the falling action happens right after the climax. Here, the action starts to calm down. The characters react to what happens in the climax. The effects of the climax are described.
This leads the reader to the resolution of the story.
42. Resolution: the resolution is the end of the story. It ties together the whole story and brings it to a close. It explains how the conflict is solved and what happens to the characters after the story
ends.
43. Conflict: is a struggle or problem that a character has to solve.
44. Antagonist: characters that oppose the main character (protagonist) of the story
Example: if the story is set during a war, the antagonists would probably be the enemy soldiers.
45. Protagonist: the main character in the story; the hero or heroine.
46. Author’s Purpose: the reason the author wrote the passage. ( to inform, to describe, to persuade, to entertain)
Four Types of Writing (Author’s Purpose)
Every passage you read can be classified as one of four types of writing: narrative, persuasive, poetic, or informational. Knowing the type of passage you are reading can help you understand the
passage better or even enjoy it more!
47. Narrative: The word narrative means "story. A narrative is a type of writing that tells a story. There are many different ways an author can tell a story. Dramas and fictional stories are all
examples of narrative writing.
48. Informational: An informational piece explains something or gives information about a certain topic. Textbooks, magazines, and newspapers all contain informational materials.
49. Persuasive: a type of writing that tries to change the reader’s mind about something or convince the reader to do or believe something. An example of persuasive writing is the writing found in
advertisements. Advertisements are designed to convince you to buy a certain product. Speeches by politicians are also examples of persuasive writing. Words that are often found in persuasive
pieces include “should,” “must,” “ought,” or “necessary.”
50. Poetic: Some writing is poetic, which means that it has the characteristics of poetry. Poetry uses interesting language and vivid images. Poetic pieces are usually written in short, rhythmic lines
or stanzas. Remember, though, poetry does not always have to rhyme!
51. Denotation Meaning- is the literal dictionary meaning of a word.
52. Connotation Meaning- is the emotional suggestion of a word.
53. Genre: a category used to classify literary works, usually by form, technique or content called structures of text
Genres and their Counterparts
54. Nonfiction- a kind of writing that gives facts and true information. Nonfiction tells you about something that really happened. You will usually find nonfiction in biographies, textbooks, and
newspapers.
55. Fiction is a piece of literature that is completely invented by the author. There are many different types of fiction. All stories have a plot, setting, and characters. Fiction authors may include a
character's thoughts as well as their words. Fiction stories are made up of groups of sentences. The groups are organized into paragraphs and chapters.
56. Paragraph: is a small part of a story. A paragraph might describe one event in a story.
57. Chapter: is large part of a story. Each chapter is about a different part of the story. A chapter has a number or a title to tell it apart.
58. Poetry: can tell stories, create images, or share feelings. Poetry is usually written in short lines, and the lines often rhyme. The line breaks are irregular, meaning they do not have to be
complete sentences or thoughts. Sometimes, the first letter of every line begins with a capital letter.
59. Line: is a small part of a poem. It is one group of words that reads from left to right. It looks like one row in a poem. There are eight lines in the poem "The Dreamer."
60. Rhythm: a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
61. Meter: a pattern of rhythm in a poem; the beat
62. Repetition: a repeating pattern of sounds, words, phrases or lines
63. Rhyme: the repetition of the ending sound of a word
64. Couplet: two successive rhyming lines that appear together as a pair and may
be part of a longer poem.65. Stanza: is a large part of a poem. It is one group of lines. Stanzas are separated by spaces between lines. The first four lines of "The Dreamer" make up the first stanza.
There are two stanzas in the poem.
66. Haiku: short poem of Japanese origin 17 syllables in length. Three lines long
of 5-7-5 syllables.
67. Lyrical: a poem with musical qualities that express emotion
68. Light Verse: a poem that is playful or whimsical
69. Free Verse: a poem that doesn’t rhyme or follow any metrical rule
70. Dramas: include skits and plays. Dramas can be fiction or nonfiction. They are not written in paragraph form. Dramas have dialogue without quotation marks. The characters' names are written
out, and the words they speak are written beside them. Dramas have special instructions that describe what the stage should look like. The instructions also tell how the characters should speak
and act. Just like stories, plays have a plot, tell a story, and have characters. As the characters talk, the story moves on into different scenes and acts.
71. Scene: is a small part of a drama. A scene usually has just one event, like a conversation or a fight. An act is made up of many scenes.
72. Act: is a large part of a drama. It is like a chapter in a book.
73. Stage Directions or Set: the writer’s instructions to the actors and those setting up a play. They tell the actors what they should do before, during and after they speak, and also indicate music
and lighting changes.
74. Dialogue: a spoken conversation between characters in a drama
75. Biography: a story written about a person’s life
76. Autobiography: a story written about a person’s life by that person
Example: My Basketball Career by Michael Jordan
77. Fairytale: short stories featuring mythical characters such as fairies or elves
Example: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
78. Folktale: a story that began in oral tradition.
Example: The Girl Who Married the Moon
79. Fable: narrative that conveys a moral. Animals or inanimate objects with human characteristics often serve as characters. Example- The Fox and the Grapes
80. Tall Tale: a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some such stories are exaggerations of actual events.
Example: Paul Bunyan
81. Point of view refers to the way a story is told, the perspective or angle of vision or position from which the events are narrated for the reader. Sometimes the author "tells" the story or one of
the characters does. Sometimes this narrator knows all about everything; sometimes the narrator is limited in her or his knowledge and perspective.
82. First Person One of the characters is telling the story. First person point of view uses "I" or "We." First person is
often used when someone is stating an opinion or sharing a feeling.
Example: I like my freshly-painted bedroom so much that I want to jump for joy!
83. Second-person- Uses the word "you." Second person is a good choice when giving
directions or anytime you're speaking directly to someone. Second
person is almost never used to tell a story.
Example: "You should really come and join the group because you
would probably like it a lot."
84. Third Person -Someone from outside the story is telling it. Third person point of view uses "He," "She," or "They." Sometimes "it" is used when talking about a thing instead of a person.
Example: Sally rode home as fast as she could. Then she jumped off her bike and ran into the house to see what was going on.
85. Third-Person Limited Point of View, the narrator is a non-participant but only knows the thoughts and feelings of a single character. In other words, the narrator's knowledge of the situation
is limited only to one character.
Example: Marco felt like he had done something good for the community. He felt like a helper and wanted to do more good things to assist those in need. But how did everybody else feel? How
did Hannah and Zach feel about their work? He would have to talk to them to find out.
86. Third-Person Omniscient Point of View, the writer is a non-participant but is able to see into and have unlimited knowledge about any or all of the characters. From this angle, the author can
roam anywhere, see anything, and comment on or interpret events at will.
Example: Marco felt like he had done something good for the community. He felt like a helper and wanted to do more good things to assist those in need. Marco wouldn't know it until he talked to
them, but Hannah and Zach felt the same way, too. Hannah had not been able to sleep. She was excited at the thought of expanding their project. She was sure they could provide even more toys
for the children next year! Zach was already planning ways to raise more money and get more people involved. He had even had a dream about how to do it!
87. Onomatopoeia: words that sound like noise they describe.
88. Transitions: are words or phrases that improve the flow of writing. Writers use transitions to connect sentences and paragraphs. By paying attention to
transitions, readers can better understand how a piece of text is organized.
Example: There are many kinds of snacks to eat that are healthy for you. For example, an orange would be a healthy snack because it has vitamins and fiber.
89. Text Organization: how the author arranges text
90. Types of Text Organization:
Sequence: The writer places events in the order which they happen. Look for words like”, “then”, “finally”,“ a few minutes later”, “next”, “ after lunch”, “last
year”. Also called Chronological Order.
Compare/Contrast: The test shows how ideas or things are alike or different. Look for the words “best”,” more”, “better”, “less”, “worse”, “easier”, “than”.
Cause /Effect: The text shows that one event causes another thing to happen.
Question/ Answer: the writer presents a question and then tries to answer it.
Problem/ Solution: the text is split into two parts: one part presents a problem, and the other part gives a solution to the problem. Look for words like, “problem”,
“solution”, “solve”, and “plan”.
Reference to Common Core Standards/ Quarterly Break-Down